


Beauty & the Beast

by PunkInPinkGlitter



Series: Shance fics [5]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: (duh), Disney AU, Fluff, M/M, Minor Angst, Slow Burn, happy ending they deserve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-08
Updated: 2018-10-08
Packaged: 2019-07-28 01:03:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16230980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PunkInPinkGlitter/pseuds/PunkInPinkGlitter
Summary: The awesomevoltron-honeysent me an ask when I was doing my prompt call, "Beauty and the beast au! Shiro is beauty and Lance is beast!"And special thanks toWicfor helping me form my basis for the fic andCompulsivePaladinfor beta'ing this for me and helping me write the perfect ending (cause it didn't end where it does now).





	Beauty & the Beast

**Author's Note:**

> The awesome [voltron-honey](http://voltron-honey.tumblr.com) sent me an ask when I was doing my prompt call, "Beauty and the beast au! Shiro is beauty and Lance is beast!"
> 
> And special thanks to [Wic](http://musingsofawiccan.tumblr.com) for helping me form my basis for the fic and [CompulsivePaladin](http://https://compulsivepaladin.tumblr.com/) for beta'ing this for me and helping me write the perfect ending (cause it didn't end where it does now).

There once was a man, vain in his appearance and always looking for someone to touch.  There came a storm that flooded most of the land. A woman, shrouded in thick purple robes edged in yellow came up to his home, asking for shelter from the raging storm.  He laughed in her face, calling her ugly, saying a hag like her would have to provide for herself, that he would never help her.

She raised a hand, cursing him. “You will never know beauty or warmth from another again, unless you find true love.”  With this, she turned and walked back out into the storm, not looking back at the dumbstruck brunette.

Time passed.  He found the curse to be most troublesome.  His skin immediately broke out, and no matter what products he used, nothing worked.  His skin scarred and tightented, rough patches of skin flaking. But what was most disheartening to him was that every time he touched someone, excruciating pain radiated throughout his body, crumpling him to the floor.  He eventually taught himself how to avoid other’s touch, as even layers of cloth and leather wouldn’t protect him from the pain.

Eventually, two years have passed since the young man was cursed.  The villagers have forgotten his name and face, since he’s not shown himself in over a year.  All of his food is made by delivery to his residence, left outside the door. One day, a new person was decided to deliver his food, Shiro.

He was known as the kindest as well as most beautiful person in the village.  He was always around to help. And when he wasn’t working, he was studying one book or another, learning to be able to help out the specialized workers of the village.

He’d been approached by the local grocer, who claimed that he couldn’t make this delivery anymore due to his bad knees.  He warned Shiro that the person never answered the door, and to just leave the food outside, and grab the envelope from the door.  Shiro gladly accepted, curious. He would bring the groceries to the door, knock, and wait. He never got an answer. Eventually, he stopped waiting at the door, instead, waiting around the corner, eager to meet the person who had isolated himself from his own community.

Shiro brought a book with him, something about natural remedies this time, and waited.  Today he waited longer than he normally would. Just as he was about to give up, he heard a creak.  The door opened, to reveal a tall, thin man. He was covered from head to toe, muttering to himself as he picked up his box of groceries.  Shiro jumped to his feet, startling the slim man.

He launched himself up to the stranger, extending a hand to shake, smiling all the while.

“I’m Shiro.”  The shocked man looked at his hand and seemed to hold the box tighter.  Shiro dropped his hand “I’ve only lived in the village for about a year, and I’ve never met you.  I’ve been told stories about the person who lives here, but I want to find out for myself. Who are you?”

The younger man seemed to cower.  “This isn’t a good idea. Go home, Shiro.”  He turned, walking inside, and slammed the door behind him.

This didn’t deter Shiro.  He insisted to make every delivery to the recluse’s house, even after the grocer’s knees started feeling better.  He tried to wait him out. And after a week of waiting, he caught him again.

“Hey!”  Shiro yelled, as he rounded the corner of the house.

The hermit sighed.  “What do you want, Shiro.”

Shiro was bent over, trying to catch his breath.  “For now, I just want to know your name. Please?”  He looked up at the other man, who was covering his face with the sleeve of his shirt.

“Lance.  Now please, Shiro, go away.”  He grabbed his box of groceries and went back inside.

Shiro beamed.  He now knew his name- _Lance_.  He got a good look at his eyes this time, and gods were they blue!  Shiro was instantly smitten, and knew he wouldn’t stop until he knew everything about him.

The next week, he sat down on the step next to the groceries, waiting for Lance.  Lance sighed as he opened the door. “Hi, Shiro. What is it this time?”

“Why are you alone?”

“Right to the point, eh?” He sat down on the other side of the box.  “Would you believe me if I told you I was cursed?” He stared up at the sky.  “It sucks. I was called a monster because no skin products worked on my skin anymore.  I can’t be touched by anyone anymore, either, so why bother?” He sighed again and looked at the box.  “Thanks for bringing this to me.”

Shiro stared at Lance.

“That… I can understand why you locked yourself away then.  But maybe, would you like some company? I can come by, we can talk.  You don’t have to leave your house.”

“What, so you can learn what kind of a beast I really am?” he laughed bitterly.

Shiro’s brow furrowed.  “No, so I can learn what kind of person you are.”

Lance shook his head.  He stayed quiet for a few moments before he turned to Shiro.  “Fine. Fine, if you really want to, come by tomorrow after lunch.  I won’t lock the door, so just come on in.”

Shiro bounced up to his feet, holding his hand out to help up Lance.  Lance looked at his hand, then back up to Shiro’s face. Recognition flitted behind Shiro’s eyes as he retracted his hand, and moved to pick up the box of groceries for him instead.

Lance slowly got up, accepting the box from Shiro and made his way inside.

Lance’s heart was racing.  There was no way this guy was interested.  He just wanted to see the freak and be able to spread the best rumors in the village.  But… What if Shiro was being genuine? He’d find out later. If Shiro came back after tomorrow, or if the village came to his door to kick him out, he’d figure out whether Shiro was a man of his word or not.

The next day came faster than either anticipated.  Shiro left the pub earlier than he probably should have, not being able to eat the stew placed in front of him.  He was just too excited. He had been curious about Lance, and had asked around the village the night before. He used to be an outgoing man, a little vain, but mostly nice.  Unless he was in a mood. According to the villagers, there were times he would be angry, like something in his life had went wrong and he took it out on everyone he met. Those nights, he would drink and fight more.

But none of what the villagers said matched the timid man he’d met on the porch.  Maybe they were wrong. Or maybe he had changed. But he was going to get to know the Lance that he’s been so curious and entranced by.

He arrived at Lance’s house at half past noon, and knocked on the door.  He winced when he remembered to go right on in, so he tried the door, and it opened for him.

He looked around the small house.  On one side was a bedroom and probably a bathroom, and on the other was a living room that had a fireplace, a chair, and a sofa, and a kitchen, which led to the dining room where he found Lance, sitting and eating some bread.

Shiro knocked on the entryway to the dining room, causing Lance to choke on the bread.  Shiro smiled slightly as Lance recovered.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.”

“No, no,” Lance coughed, pounding his chest.  “You’re fine. I just… I wasn’t expecting you.”

“But you invited me?”

“I know, I know.  It’s. It’s just been awhile since I could trust someone.”

Shiro pulled up a chair next to Lance, sitting down as close as he dared since he remembered Lance saying something about not touching people.  They sat in awkward silence as Lance finished his bread. Shiro took the time to study Lance’s face. It’s the first time he’d seen it without Lance shielding it in some way.  Sure he had some bad skin, but past that he was absolutely stunning, his facial structure and skin tone were beautiful.

Lance spoke quietly.  “We should move to the living room.”  He stood slowly, making sure to not touch Shiro.  Of course, Shiro noticed, and moved to give Lance some more room as he got up and followed.

They sat separately, Shiro on the lone couch, and Lance in a chair off to the side.  Lance leaned forward and poked at the fire with a poker, while Shiro thought about what he wanted to say.

“So you were cursed.”

“Yup.”

“Can I ask what you did to be cursed?  And what exactly it entails?”

Lance sighed.  “I called someone ugly and told them to fend for themselves during a bad storm two years ago.  I was. I was really, really stupid and awful to them. They cursed me. Back then, my looks were everything to me.  They made it so my skin doesn’t react in any way to any skin care products, thus the severe acne, dry spots, and scarring.  I mean, I completely deserved that. I’ve learned that looks aren’t everything. I used to go into town back in the beginning, and people would call me a monster.  I’m pretty sure it’s because they were used to me being awful and calling people with bad skin monsters, so they figured I could take what I dished.”

“But that’s not why you stopped going into the village, is it?” Shiro pushed.

The younger man shook his head.  “No. I don’t know how much you know, but I’m--I _was_ quite a touchy person.  Uh, I mean, I love to touch and be touched.  It’s a comfort to me. And the person that cursed me took that from me too.”

When he didn’t elaborate, Shiro leaned closer.  “How?”

Lance looked away.  If he told Shiro, Shiro would be able to wreak absolute havoc on Lance’s life.  But something told him he could trust Shiro. “Being touched causes me pain. Even if I’m touching someone else, or if it’s through layers of cloth or leather.  The physical touch of another person will incapacitate me. I had a person try to use it against me, and I decided to never go back. I couldn't do it. So I wrote to the people I need things from, like the grocer, set up a system.  I’d leave them money, they leave me goods.”

Shiro nodded, frozen to his seat.  He wanted to help, but curses? He had read books on witchcraft when he was younger, and most curses came with a caveat.  But Lance didn’t reveal one, and he wasn’t going to push anymore.

Lance looked up at the older man.  He was looking at his knees, almost looking shocked.  Lance smiled. He wanted to hug him. He wanted to hold his hand and say everything would be okay for him, and that Shiro shouldn’t worry himself with him, but he didn’t.

Shiro looked up, meeting Lance’s eyes.  “How about I come back every day? I’d love to keep you company.”

The edges of Lance’s mouth ticked up for the first time in what felt like years. “I’d like that.”

Every day Shiro came back.  Sometimes it was just to talk about what happened in the village, sometimes it was to show Lance a new book he had just gotten.  He gave Lance his book on the stars after learning that Lance sat in his backyard deep in the night watching them. Lance tried to teach Shiro to cook, to no avail.  It was hard not to touch Shiro during the lessons, and Shiro had a tendency to burn everything-even water. They grew closer over time, and though they longed for each other’s touch, Lance would always pull away at the last minute, too scared of the pain.

It was months into ...whatever this was, when Lance finally broke.

“Shiro, what do I mean to you?”

Shiro dropped the dish he was washing, chipping the corner of it. “Shit, sorry.  I’ll replace it.”

“Don’t worry about the dish.  Did you hear my question?”  
Shiro sighed.  “I did.” He put the washcloth down, turning to fully face Lance.  “I’m not going to lie, Lance.” Lance’s stomach dropped. “Every day I come here, and every day I leave.  I don’t want to leave anymore. Lance, I love you.”

Lance’s eyes widened almost comically.  “You, you what?”  
Shiro started to move closer, but thought better of it and stopped.  “I love you. I’m sorry if you don’t think the same of me, but I can’t lie to you about this.  If you want me to stop coming over, I understand.” Shiro’s head dropped, knowing his confession just cost him the best friend he’d ever made.

Lance thought quickly.  He knew he would be in a lot of pain, but he had to show Shiro he loved him too.  He walked forward, and reached his hands up to cup Shiro’s cheeks, feeling the familiar surge of pain rolling from his fingertips up his arms.  “I love you too.” He leaned up and gently pressed their lips together.

He expected to fall to the floor, curled up in pain, but it wasn’t there.  Instead, he felt an outpouring of bliss going from his head to his toes.

Shiro gasped into the kiss, but after he got over the shock, wrapped his arms around Lance’s waist, pulling him close.  They stayed pressed together until Lance pulled back, his eyes full of tears.

“Shit, Lance fuck, did I hurt you? I’m so sorry!”  Shirro stuttered, trying to pull back, but still locked in Lance’s hands.

“No, I think, I think the curse is broken.  It doesn’t hurt anymore.” He start to sob. Shiro gathered him in his arms, directing them to sit on the sofa in the living room.  They sat on the couch for hours before either of them moved from each other’s arms.

As Lance’s tears subsided and his breathing returned to normal, he looked up at Shiro, steadfast at his side.  He smiled glad to have this man in his life now.

“And to think, I have you _and_ I get to use face cream again.”

Shiro rolled his eyes, shoving Lance slightly.  Lance grabbed his hands.

“You don’t get it Shiro.  We can do it together! You know, you come over here, we do face masks and moisturize and everything!  It’ll be a fun addition to what we have right now. But only if that’s something you want to do.”

Shiro leaned forward, touching Lance’s forehead with his own.  “I do want to. It sounds like fun.”

Lance closed the distance and kissed Shiro again.  It was something he very much could get used to.


End file.
